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ARRL Wants Every Ham to Help Us Pass The Bill |
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| ARRL needs every radio amateur in the United States to send letters to Washington as we continue our nationwide grassroots campaign to pass the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (H.R. 1094 / S. 459) to secure antenna rights. The process is simple: click the button at www.arrl.org/HOA, put in your call sign, and press the red SEND MY LETTERS button. It takes mere seconds!
The letters will automatically be sent to your elected officials encouraging them to support the bipartisan bills. This legislation is intended to prevent restrictive homeowners’ association (HOA) rules that currently prohibit or severely limit the installation of amateur radio antennas. Passage would give amateur radio operators the same rights to install antennas on their property as those enjoyed by users of TV antennas, wireless internet, and flagpoles.
Spreading the Word
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, was the guest on the Ham Radio Crash Course YouTube channel. Host Josh Nass, KI6NAZ, talked with Minster for 45 minutes about this important letter writing campaign.
ARRL West Gulf Division Director John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, shared insight into the importance of getting every ham to send a letter on the W5KUB Amateur Radio Roundtable podcast with Brett Glass, WY7BG, and Glen Popiel, KW5GP. See that discussion on YouTube, listen to it on Podbean, or view it on Facebook.
“You don’t have a be a member,” said Stratton. “Any amateur radio operator in or out of an HOA should go to the website.” Go to www.arrl.org/HOA.
ARRL is also encouraging radio clubs to provide letters of support, and is urging each club officer to sign the letters. There are instructions for clubs on how to complete the letter [PDF] and a sample letter that each club can customize with their information [DOCX].
Send your letters now.
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Hams Needed to Track NASA Moon Mission |
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| PHOTO: Artemis II NASA astronauts (left to right) Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor Glover, KI5BKC; and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU. [NASA Photo by Frank Michaux] |
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking volunteers to passively track the 2026 Artemis II Orion spacecraft as the crewed mission travels to the Moon and back to Earth.
The Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor Glover, KI5BKC; and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.
Targeted for no later than April 2026, the mission will rely on NASA’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for primary communications and tracking support throughout its launch, orbit, and reentry. However, with a growing focus on commercialization, NASA wants to further understand industry’s tracking capabilities.
This collaboration opportunity builds upon a previous request released by NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation Program (SCaN ) during the Artemis I mission in 2022. Ten volunteers successfully tracked the uncrewed Orion spacecraft on its journey thousands of miles beyond the Moon and back.
One of those volunteers tracking in 2022 was Scott Chapman, K4KDR, of Montpelier, Virginia. “Sometimes it’s what you don’t know that makes this kind activity interesting,” said Chapman. “All I had was a small S-band dish and receiver and wasn’t sure what I could or couldn’t hear…but when I started hearing the signals…it made everything worth it.”
Chapman said he felt good about the whole process and, while it was interesting, it was also lot of fun!
There were also other participants during the Artemis I mission, including international space agencies, academic institutions, commercial companies, nonprofits, and private citizens who were also attempting to receive Orion’s signals. Chapman added that NASA is also looking for commercial partnerships to share in the process.
If you’re interested in volunteering for next year’s event, all of the information can be found at SAM.gov. The response deadline is October 27, 2025, at 5:00 PM EDT.
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National Preparedness Month: Use Your Ham Radio for Public Service |
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Amateur radio has long been a vital partner with served agencies in providing communications support, passing traffic, and performing other tasks, both in times of crisis and in times of community service. Through community events, hams help out before and When All Else Fails®.
The best way to become a part of serving the greater good in your area is by joining your local ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) group. “Every disaster starts and ends at the local level, and so should community resilience through radio,” said ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. “Local ARES groups are set up based on the needs of the local community and local volunteers are critical to making sure they are able to serve when needed.”
ARRL has a tool to help hams get plugged in with a group near them. An interactive map at www.arrl.org/find-an-ares-group (example below) will let those interested in serving connect with local leadership. This flyer [PDF] talks about what ARES does at the local level.
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NCVEC Question Pool Committee Removes Extra-Class Question E6D07 From Use |
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The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) Question Pool Committee (QPC) has announced the immediate removal of Extra-Class question E6D07 from the Element 4 Extra-Class question pool and from use on examinations. The decision was made after it was determined that the question contained more than one correct answer.
The current Element 4 Extra-Class pool, effective July 1, 2024, remains valid through June 30, 2028. All Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs) and examiners are instructed to remove E6D07 from examinations as soon as possible.
Updated files reflecting this change are now available for download at the NCVEC website: www.ncvec.org/index.php/2024-2028-extra-class-question-pool-release.
The ARRL VEC advises the community to regularly check the NCVEC website for updates to the question pools, which may include errata and withdrawn questions.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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ARRL Live Events and Podcasts |
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On the Air LIVE
Join ARRL’s Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, as he describes and demonstrates how VarAC can be leveraged to keep in contact with family and loved ones who live outside of an area where all grid communications are damaged or destroyed due to a natural or man-made disaster, no matter your license class.
Up Next:
📅 Date: October 28, 2025
🕗 Time: 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific
👉 Register Now
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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
Get Inspired for Contest Season
The podcast welcomes Violetta Latham, KN2P, a young contester who has had the opportunity to operate at some big, famous contest stations such as K3LR, PJ2T, and W3LPL. Violetta will talk about how she got started in contesting and how she got to where she is today. Listen Now
More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a summary of the week’s top news stories in the world of amateur radio and ARRL, along with interviews and other features. The ARRL Audio News is now broadcast on FM low power radio stations KQRZ-LP 100.7 and 96.7 MHz FM in Spokane, Washington every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:00 AM PDT. More info | Listen on Blubrry | Also available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts. |
| The Road Show Amateur Radio Club in Fairview, North Carolina, will operate special event station N4H on September 27 – 28, 2025, to remember and honor those who lost their lives, homes, and livelihoods during Hurricane Helene in 2024. The event will be held from 1200Z – 2300Z on 14.275 MHz. A certificate and QSL card will be available. The Road Show Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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The 5th Annual Masonic Lodges on the Air (MLotA) special event contest, originating in Ohio, is scheduled for September 27, 2025, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM EDT. The main goal of the contest is to see how many other lodges an amateur operator, or teams of operators, can reach from their own lodge in a single day. Each location is open to the public and anyone with an interest in amateur radio is welcome to attend and give it a try themselves! For more information about past contests and the history of the event visit cqmorelight.com.
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| JOTA – JOTI, the world’s largest digital and amateur radio Scout events, promoting friendship and global citizenship, will be back on the air October 17 – 19, 2025. JOTA – JOTI is an annual event with Scouts from all across the world connecting with each other by amateur radio (JOTA) and using the internet (JOTI). JOTA – JOTI is held on the third full weekend of October each year, coordinated by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). Scouts wanting participate in JOTA will need the support of at least one licensed amateur radio operator or the support of a local amateur radio club. For participation in JOTI, Scouts will need access to a computer, phone or tablet, and an internet connection. For registration and all of the details, visit JOTA-JOTI 2025 | A World Shaped by Youth.
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| Open Positions at ARRL
Come join the headquarters staff of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®! We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the following positions:
Membership Manager
Membership Services Representative
Technical Editor
Assistant Editor
Full details may be found on the ARRL HR web page at www.arrl.org/careers.
ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.
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| This image was taken on September 25, 2025. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] |
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ARRL Solar Report September 25, 2025
Solar activity reached moderate levels this past week. An impulsive M1.0 flare was observed on September 24 from Region 4217. Slight growth was observed in Region 4226 with an increase in spots near the leader. New Regions 4229 and 4230 were numbered this period. All other regions were either stable or in decay. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed. Solar activity is expected return to low activity, with a chance for isolated M-class flare activity (R1-R2/minor-moderate) through September 25.
Solar wind parameters were indicative of the arrival of a negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Solar wind speed increased from approximately 310 km/s to near 530 km/s. Total field showed an increase beginning on September 22. The CH HSS influence persisted through September 23 and will slowly diminish to background levels on September 25. A trend towards nominal solar wind conditions is expected through September 26 as Earth moves out of a geoeffective position with the CH HSS.
The 10.7-centimeter flux: September 25, 185; September 26 – 27, 175; September 28 – 30, 170; October 1, 160.
Predicted sunspots: September 25, 131; September 26, 125; September 27, 137; September 28, 121; September 28, 144; September 29, 116; September 30, 149; October 1, 131.
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read A Quick Guide to HF Propagation Using Solar Indices, and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
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- September 27 — Masonic Lodges on the Air (phone)
- September 27 – 28 — CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY (data)
- September 27 – 28 — YU DX Contest (CW, phone)
- September 27 – 28 — Maine QSO Party (CW, phone)
- September 27 – 28 — AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party (phone)
- September 30 — 222 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
- October 1 — UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (phone)
- October 3 — URC DX RTTY Contest (digital)
- October 4 – 5 — Collegiate QSO Party
- October 4 – 5 — Oceania DX Contest, Phone (phone)
- October 4 – 5 — California QSO Party (CW, phone)
- October 5 — UBA ON Contest, SSB (phone)
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Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
- September 27 | ARRL Dakota Division Convention, Moorhead, Minnesota
- October 4 | Rock Hill Hamfest, hosting the ARRL South Carolina Section Convention, Rock Hill, South Carolina
- October 10 -12 | Pacificon, hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California
- October 10 – 11 | Melbourne Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Florida State Convention, Melbourne, Florida
- October 10 – 11 | SPARK-CON, hosting the ARRL Midwest Division Convention, Sedalia, Missouri
- October 11 | North Star Radio Convention, hosting the ARRL Minnesota State Convention, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
- October 12 | Nutmeg Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Connecticut State Convention, Meriden, Connecticut
- October 23 – 26 | HamCon Colorado 2025, hosting the ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Grand Junction, Colorado
- November 1 | Stone Mountain Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia
- November 15 | Superstition ARC Superfest & Electronics Expo, hosting the ARRL Arizona State Convention, Mesa, Arizona
Remember to search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database to find events in your area.
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ARRL — Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information
Join ARRL or renew today! No other organization works harder to promote and protect amateur radio. Membership supports benefits, services, programs, and advocacy to help you get (and stay) active and on the air. Membership includes access to digital editions of all four ARRL magazines: QST, On the Air, QEX, and NCJ.
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.
The ARRL Letter is available in an accessible format, posted weekly to the Blind-hams Groups.io email group. The group is dedicated to discussions about amateur radio as it concerns blind hams, plus related topics including ham radio use of adaptive technology.
NCJ — National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprints, and QSO parties.
QEX — A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals.
Free of charge to ARRL members…
Subscribe to the ARES Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the ARRL Contest Update (biweekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts, and much more!
Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Threads, X, and Instagram. |
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The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 51 times each year. ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their profile at www.arrl.org/opt-in-out.
Copyright © 2025 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes require written permission.
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